Ange Postecoglou admits everyone else may be right. Admits he may be crazy. Admits he might be listening to too much Billy Joel but there’s simply no way he’s going to let himself become preoccupied with the goals his team are conceding from set-pieces.
‘I’m not interested,’ said Tottenham’s boss ahead of Thursday’s trip to Chelsea. ‘Never have been. Not in the least.
‘It’s not the first time I’ve been questioned about set-pieces in my coaching career. There is an underlying reason for that which I’m very, very comfortable with.
‘To quote Billy Joel, you may be right, I may be crazy, but it’s maybe a lunatic you’re looking for.’
And he added: ‘Eventually I will create a team that has success and it won’t be because of working on set-pieces.’
Ange Postecoglou is not going to become preoccupied with Spurs’ defending from set-pieces
He quoted Billy Joel’s You May Be Right by declaring ‘it’s maybe a lunatic you’re looking for’ in his steadfast reasoning
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Spurs have conceded 14 goals from set-pieces in the Premier League this season, all but two of those since the start of December.
There were two conceded from corners in Sunday’s 3-2 defeat at home to Arsenal, who are the Premier League’s leading exponents of goals from set-pieces.
Mikel Arteta has a towering team with four centre-halves across the back four, imposing midfielders like Declan Rice and Thomas Partey, and Kai Havertz up front. All under instruction from set-piece specialist Nicolas Jover.
Postecoglou’s team is designed differently. He has not prioritised aerial power but has not neglected set-piece work in training and is comfortable without a specialist coach.
‘People want to be believe football is prescriptive, and it can be,’ said Postecoglou. ‘You’ve got an illness here’s the tablet and you feel better. I’ve never believed that.
‘I’ve always been about trying to create an environment and a style of football that can win things. I’ve never worked in a prescriptive manner, and I certainly won’t be doing it now.’
Arsenal’s set-piece routines involved Ben White attempting to distract Spurs goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario by unfastening the Velcro on his gloves.
‘I know it’s great theatre whether he’s trying to undo his glove, tickle his armpit or whatever, I just don’t care,’ said Postecoglou. ‘I try to get my players not to worry about that stuff, it’s not important.
‘And what’s he supposed to do? Throw a punch and knock him out or say, “please don’t touch me”. We’re not in the school yard.
Arsenal tried to distract goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario during the North London derby
Timo Werner will miss the last five games of Tottenham’s campaign after injury against Arsenal
‘It’s never been where my focus lies. If I saw one of my players do it, I’d be saying, “mate, seriously? Get the ball and play some football”.’
Tottenham sought clarity from the PGMOL in February when they thought Vicario had been targeted and obstructed for set-piece goals scored by Manchester City and Everton at the start of this unwanted trend.
Postecoglou, however, admits he is none the wiser. ‘I always thought the goalkeeper was a bit of a protected species,’ he said. ‘Maybe that’s shifted now, and I missed the memo.’
Timo Werner and Ben Davies, both injured against Arsenal, will miss the last five games of the season.
